pennyspoetryfandomcom-20200214-history
James Hyslop
James Hyslop (22 July 1798 - 4 November 1827) was a Scottish poet.Hadden, 406. Life Hyslop was born at Damhead, parish of Kirkconnel, Dumfriesshire. He was raised by his grandparents.James Hyslop (1798-1827), English Poetry, 1579-1830, Center for Applied Technologies in the Humanities, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. Web, July 19, 2016. He was early put out to farm-work, but managed to teach himself English, Latin, French, mathematics, and algebra. From 1812 to 1816 he was engaged as a shepherd on Nether Wellwood farm, in the parish of Muirkirk, and his contributions to the Greenock Advertiser and other newspapers were frequently signed "The Muirkirk Shepherd." Between 1816 and 1818 he was employed at Corsebank, whence he wrote a poetical epistle to his early Kirkconnel teacher, signed "James Hislop." (He afterwards invariably adopted the spelling Hyslop.) In 1818 he went to Greenock, where he opened a day-school, and wrote for the Edinburgh Magazine. Most of Hyslop's poetry published during his lifetime appeared in the Edinburgh Magazine from 1819 onwards. He was at first fairly successful, but his prospects were blasted by his having to pay a considerable sum for which he had become security to oblige a friend. Leaving Greenock in 1821, he obtained a post as tutor on board his majesty's ship Doris, which was about to proceed to South America. The voyage lasted for three years, and an account of it was given by Hyslop in a series of eleven papers contributed to the Edinburgh Magazine, May-November 1825. He was next engaged as a reporter in London (1826), where he was intimate with Allan Cunningham, Edward Irving, and others; but the work proved too heavy for him, and he again took to teaching, first as superintendent of a charity school, and afterwards as tutor on board his majesty's ship Tweed. The vessel sailed for the Cape of Good Hope in October 1827. Hyslop died of fever off the Cape VerdeIslands, in the Atlantic. His body was consigned to the sea with military honours. Writing Hyslop's claim to recognition rests almost solely on his poem, 'The Cameronian Dream,' From his earliest years, while shepherd at Nether Welhvood, near the scene of the battle where Richard Cameron was killed, Hyslop had been familiar with the story of the Scottish martyrs, whose experiences and surroundings he describes in stirring language. Among his 82 poems, collected in 1887 by Mr. Mearns, "The Scottish Sacramental Sabbath," "The Scottish National Melody," and "The Child's Dream" have also attained considerable popularity in Scotland. He wrote a good deal in prose, chiefly upon the persecution of the covenanters. Two essays in the 'Edinburgh Magazine,' 1820, 'A Defence of Modern Scottish Poetry,' and 'An Account of an Apparition in Airsmoss,' are worthy of note.Hadden, 407. Publications *''The Cameronian's Vision''. Fintray, Aberdeen, UK: J. Cumming, 1874. *''Poems'' (edited by Peter Mearns). Glasgow: C.L. Wright, 1887. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:James Hyslop 1827, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, July 19, 2016. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, July 19, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *James Hyslop (1798-1827) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About * Hyslop, James Category:1798 births Category:1827 deaths Category:Scottish poets Category:19th-century poets